


I Love The Way You Lie

by Eternal Scribe (Shadowcat)



Category: Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-31
Updated: 2012-05-31
Packaged: 2017-11-06 10:47:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/417991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowcat/pseuds/Eternal%20Scribe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She shouldn't have been surprised when he went back on his word, but she was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Love The Way You Lie

**Author's Note:**

> So, I watched _The Other Boleyn Girl_ last night and then when I heard [_I Love The Way You Lie_](http://youtu.be/vGVGove7IsI) by Skylar Grey, this ficlet was born.

_On the first page of our story  
The future seemed so bright  
Then this thing turned out so evil  
I don't know why I'm still surprised_

 

She shouldn't have been surprised when he went back on his word, but she was. This man, her King, the man she foolishly loved had promised her that he would spare her sister.

_"Why are you here for her?" His eyes showed amazement in their depths. He didn't understand how she could be here pleading for Anne after everything they had done to her._

_"Because she is my sister and she is a part of me."_

_"And I could never hurt any part of you."_.

She had gotten on her knees and kissed his hand in thanks. She could see in his eyes that he still cared for her and she knew that even after everything, she could not stop loving him. He had ordered the death of her brother, but her sister was saved. She would take Anne to the country where they could mourn the loss of their brother and live in relative obscurity. Anne's ambitions were broken now and any plans she had made to stay with the King had been destroyed when she was found guilty of treason. Her sister could lead a quiet life far away from Court.

When she was allowed to visit with Anne, she was shocked by her sister's appearance. Her eyes had changed the most of all. No longer laughing and full of joy, her sister's eyes were now dull and full of fear.

"It will be all right," Mary said softly as she hugged Anne. "It will be all right. I went to see the King."

Anne gave her a sad smile. "I shouldn't be so surprised that he would see you. He loved you and I don't think he ever forgave me for making him choose between us."

"That's not true," Mary said. It wasn't that she didn't believe that Henry loved her at one time. It was that she didn't believe that he thought much about the fact that he had allowed Anne to dictate what he did when it came to her and their son.

"It is and had I just left things alone then we would be happy and poor George would still be alive." Anne's eyes filled with tears. "We ... we didn't, Mary." Anne's voice was a whisper. "We couldn't go through with it."

Mary couldn't hide the sigh of relief at that admission. At least her brother hadn't had that sin on his soul when he was executed. She knew that her siblings had never felt that way about each other, but when you're worried about death, you would make foolish choices. Thankfully, Anne and George hadn't made that one and she would have no shame to taint the memory of her brother.

 

_Just gonna stand there and watch me burn  
Well that's alright because I like the way it hurts  
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry  
Well that's alright because I love the way you lie_

 

When the guards came to escort Anne to the block, Mary did her best to calm them both down.

"He will spare you, Anne. I am sure of it. He as good as gave me his word that he would not harm you."

The guards. The guards were easy for her to explain away. This had been set into motion and Henry hadn't been able to get the pardon to executioner yet. 

"Be brave," Mary whispered to her sister as they were separated. "Give him time to send word."

As her sister ascended the stairs, Mary looked back to the castle. She was looking for some sign of Henry. She didn't see him coming, yet, but then again, maybe he was trying to get through the crowd. She didn't see his guards or his usual retinue clearing space, so it would make sense that he was coming alone to free Anne in person. He was the King and no one would dare condemn him for deciding that he wanted Anne to live.

Mary turned back to meet Anne's eyes and give her what silent encouragement that she could.

_Stall for time, Anne,_. Her eyes held her sister's as she fumbled for more words to say. _Stall for time._

She heard her sister add more about how great of a lord and King that Henry was as Mary once again searched the crowd for some sign that Henry would be in time to stop all of this.

There! What was that? Yes, she could see guards coming towards the front, where she was standing. Their long pikes and silver helmets let them be seen easily through the crowd that had gathered to watch her sister die.

_And how could all of these so-called Christian people be so joyous over the death of another? Over the death of their Queen?_

For all that her sister had her faults, she didn't deserve to die. Not like this and not for things that she did not do.

The guards were approaching her and Mary could feel some of the tension leaving her chest. He was in time. They would be able to yet stay the axe.

"Lady Mary," one of them said, handing her a note. "From the King."

_Why was he giving it to her and not to the men on the block?_

Mary opened the note from the King and felt her face go white. She jerked her head up and her eyes met Anne's as the axe came down.

"NO!"

Mary's scream of grief and horror was drowned out by the crowd as she lost her grip on the letter.

 

_Now there's gravel in our voices  
Glasses shattered from the fight  
In this tug of war you always win  
Even when i'm right  
Cos you feed me fables from your head  
With violent words and empty threats_

 

She didn't remember leaving the yard -- didn't remember seeing how her sister's body was prepared for rest. She had turned away before the executioner could hold Anne's beautiful head above the crowd and say something false about the deaths that come to the King's enemies.

The grief of so much loss was rising up to choke her, but she still forced her feet forward. She didn't let anyone stop her as she went on her way. There must have been something in her eyes that warned people not to get in her way. She heard someone call her name, but she kept going. The sobs of a child kept drawing her forward until she found herself standing in front of her mother.

"Give me the child, Mother."

Elizabeth stared at her, shocked at what she heard in her daughter's voice. Mary, sweet Mary had never spoken to anyone like that, nor had her eyes ever been cold as stone.

"Mary, you can't."

"I _can_." Mary didn't raise her voice, but the emotions were still there. "Give me the child."

Elizabeth wasn't sure what Mary was going to do and she didn't want to lose the last of her children. However, she also knew that it wasn't safe for the young Princess in the castle right now. Even as one of her ladies protested, she handed Anne's baby over to Mary.

Mary drew baby Elizabeth into her arms and held her close to her. "Tell Uncle that he is to stay away from us, Mother," Mary said softly. "I will not be responsible for my actions if he were to come to my home."

Her mother could see how much Mary meant what she was saying and she nodded slowly as her remaining daughter spun around and left the rooms. 

Mary held her niece close to her as marched her way out of the castle and out of the courtyard. This time, no one tried to stop her and no one called her name. Everyone just seemed to step out of her way as they saw her face and the child she held in her arms.

Just like before, she had been lied to and taken advantage of by everyone she came into contact with. Her last words to her sister had been turned into a lie, but she could at least keep the promise to Anne to take care of Elizabeth.

If Henry, whom she had once loved, knew what was good for him, he would stay away from her and his children. A stroke of the axe had managed to sever whatever good feelings she had for him and she didn't know if she could ever forgive him for what had been done in his name; what he had allowed to be done.

 

_So maybe I'm a masochist  
I try to run but I don't wanna ever leave  
Til the walls are going up  
In smoke with all our memories_


End file.
